The 50-Yard Line

We all have milestones in our lives and today I am celebrating one – my 50^th birthday.  

As this birthday approached, I must admit I thought about it more than any other prior to it.  I usually treat birthdays as just one more day on the journey known as life.  But I was shocked at how many times hitting this milestone pervaded my thoughts.

Earlier this week, I heard a story that anytime we say “I am…” we become what we follow that statement with.  If you say “I am old.”  You start to feel old.  If you say “I am tired,” you become tired.  That story helped me put my milestone in perspective....

On this milestone day,  I am truly blessed.  I am blessed to have had the opportunity to marry and spend the last 25 years with the most amazing woman I know.  I am blessed to call three of the greatest people I know my children.  I am blessed with an awesome family, great parents, and very special friends. 

I am blessed to have a distinguished, enriching career, to have worked with some amazing people, and to have a warm, inviting roof over my head.  I am blessed to have my health.  I am blessed to have been fortunate enough to work with young people and college students at my church, and with the American Cancer Society. 

Yes, today is a milestone birthday and as I write this I am reminded that I am truly blessed.  That's what it means to me to turn 50.  It's a milestone birthday that is worthy of reflection.  And as a good friend of mine told me, you’ve only made it to the 50-yard line, you still have half a field to go.”  

So today, I am excited to begin the journey down the next 50 yards and cant wait to see what lies ahead.